2001 Mazda Touch Up Paint (51 OEM Colors)

The 2001 Mazda Vibe

Welcome to 2001, the year "Zoom-Zoom" became a personality trait and every driveway in the suburbs had a Tribute or a 626 sitting in it. This was the peak of the "Silver Revolution." If it didn't look like it was forged from a melted-down Mac G4, was it even a car? Our database shows eight heavy hitters from this year, and let's be honest: Mazda was obsessed with the grayscale. Between Sunlight Silver Metallic, Platinum Silver, and a trio of blacks like Black Onyx and Black Pearl, these cars were designed to look like liquid mercury under the neon lights of a Blockbuster parking lot. Whether you were redlining a Miata or hauling the kids in an MPV, the goal was sleek, metallic, and modern.

Paint Health Check

Now, let's talk shop. You're smack in the middle of The Peeling Era. By 2001, the industry had moved fully into the basecoat/clearcoat system, but they hadn't quite mastered the chemistry of keeping them stuck together forever. If your Protege or Millenia has spent its life outside, you're likely seeing the dreaded "delamination"-that's painter-speak for your clear coat looking like a bad sunburn. It starts as a cloudy patch on the roof or trunk and eventually starts flaking off in sheets. Mazda's clear of this vintage was notoriously thin, meaning UV rays have had two decades to chew through the protection and start attacking the Classic Red or Glacier White underneath.

Restoration Tip

If you still have original paint that isn't flaking yet, consider yourself lucky-now stay vigilant. The secret to surviving this era is immediate chip intervention. On these 2001 models, a stone chip isn't just an eyesore; it's an entry point. Once moisture and air get between the base color and the clear layer, the bond is compromised, and the clear will start to lift. Use a high-quality touch-up to seal those chips the moment you see them. If you're already seeing "chalky" white spots where the gloss used to be, don't try to buff it out-you'll just burn through what's left of the pigment. Clean it, seal it, and keep it out of the sun.